Is it 'spill' or phlegm?

My little man has begun vomiting every now and again - not every feed and not often.

The tricky thing is that the 'vomit' has the consistency of phlegm - not just milk. So I don't think it's just spewing or reflux. He doesn't have a temperature or coughing or anything, but is quite snuffly. However, he has a cleft palate and I believe some of the snuffles come from this.

Can anyone tell me if their baby's 'spills' are simply milk consistency or are they thicker and gooey (like phlegm)?

We'll try to get him in to a Dr soon, but it's notoriously hard to get a prompt appt in our town so I can see us waiting a week before we can get a Dr's opinion :(

Any help you can give would be very welcome!

nettie i would say its just a "spill" cos it doesnt take long for them to start digesting milk(esp bm). i always call it baby yoghurt YK that thick creamy but lumpy look. but call the hossy the m/ws wont mind or even that 13 health no.

Hi hun,

Unless my DD chucked her milk immediately (like when i sat her up to wind her) it was stringy/gooey when it came up. I think it was partly spit and partly that the stomach starts to digest the water out and adds its own digestive acids etc., which changes the consistency. In my own (TMI) experience - unless i was sick from being too drunk, my OWN vomit is always kind of slimy/stringy too.

You mention he is a cleft bub - if the the spew is coming through his nose it will also be rinsing mucus out of the sinuses which will make it stringier and thicker.

On top of THAT it was a good week or two before my DD had gotten rid of all the birth mucus and gotten used to eating food and having to breathe etc. It's a big adjustment time for them, the first few weeks.

I wouldn't be too worried. As far as i know reflux usually results in a lot of crying and a very red/sore oesophagus on examination. It is very normal for babies to throw milk back and not usually a cause for concern so long as they continue to gain weight well and are happy.

Thanks guys. You've put my mind at rest.

Next time it happens I'll have a good look at the stuff to see if 'partly digested' fits. And Elli - I'll ring the MW if I'm worried!

Thanks again.

Hi babe!!!
Kane has constantly bought up clear phlegm!!!
I have been told its a combination of nose and ear gunk, that has no where else to go in our special bubbas!!!:cryinglaugh:
Kane done it up to about 4 months!! They do also secrete more phlegm than other bubbas too.... Oh the joy honey!!!

Kane has slowed on the snuffling, and I miss it now!!:rolleyes:

Glad to hear that otherwise he is doing well!!!:dance:

Thanks Jodie - I wondered if it was related to his cleft palate... It gunks up his mouth plate when it happens and it must be so uncomfortable for him.

Poor thing hates it when it happens... breaks my heart to see him upset :(

Trust me hun, he will get used to it!! They very quickly learn to swallow it, or spit it out, and it will slow down....

I was told if he gunked too bad, tilting him back and giving him some water to flush it out might help.... Just pour slowly, and make sure he's swallowing it. We swallow most of our gunk, but these bubbas have more, and have a hard time getting it down or out, poor little things!!:rolleyes:

Thats all the advice I have on that one babe...:lol:

As he gets a little older, he can control it better for himself, but for now he relies on mummy to do it for him!!;)

Thanks Jodie - what would I do without you?? :lol:

Someone else recommended getting some saline & squirting it in his nose if he's a bit too snuffly... so I've got some (just in case). I suppose normal water is fine too - but would I need to use cooled boiled water?

Yep!!:)

Just be careful using anything other than water though, or salt water, with cleft bubbas anything you put up their nose can go into their ear canal and help give him an ear infection...They are quite prone to them. :(


Water and saline can also help get stuck food out of the cleft when he starts solids too, but thats another post...:cryinglaugh: